Ready to take your chemistry class on its first big lab adventure? Dive in to differentiation between chemical and physical changes with a thoughtfully designed set of experiments! Partners conduct a series of reactions, describe their outcomes, and infer whether a chemical or physical change occurred.

Concepts

chemical changes, physical changes, the green movement, making observations, making inferences, lab safety, heat, light, chemical reactions

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Make the lab one of the first of the year to squash any misconceptions the class may have about chemical versus physical changes
• Demonstrate additional physical changes after the lab is complete to cover a broader range of changes

Classroom Considerations

• Try having different lab groups start at different reactions to prevent a pile-up as they retrieve their materials
• Prepare all of the dilute solutions in advance; most have excellent storage times

Pros

• The activity exemplifies the principles of green chemistry
• Set up and delivery of the lab is a snap with the detailed materials list, printable materials, and answer keys in the teacher's guide
  

Cons

Common Core

RST.9-10.3 RST.11-12.3